Northwood University Baseball Camps

Coaching Staff

Jake SabolPitching Coach

Jake Sabol enters his second season as the Timberwolves pitching coach after spending the 2012-2013 season as the pitching coach at Alma College. Working closely with the pitching staff, his other responsibilities will include recruiting, administrative responsibilities and player development.

In his only year at Alma, Sabol’s staff produced a Second Team All-Mideast Region reliever and Second Team All-MIAA starter, Jose Velez. Under Sabol’s guidance, Velez led all of Division III in strikeouts per nine innings, while earning himself a professional contract with the Evansville Otters of the Frontier League. Shortly after, Velez would sign with the Minnesota Twins.

A 2006 graduate of De La Salle High School in Warren, Sabol went on to play collegiately at Central Michigan University and became a four-year letter winner from 2007-2011. A weekend starter for two seasons, he helped lead the Chippewas to two MAC West Championships as well as a MAC Regular Season Championship in 2010.

Sabol’s best season came in 2011 as a senior, posting a 4-2 Mid-American Conference record with a 3.18 ERA. He was named MAC West Pitcher of the Week after tossing back-to-back complete game shutouts of Ohio and Akron in April 2011 and again in May after hurling a complete game victory over Eastern Michigan to clinch the MAC West Championship. He was also named CMU’s Scholar Athlete of the week in April 2011. After his senior season, he was the recipient of the Chippewa Award, symbolic of the player who best represents the Central Michigan University baseball program’s mission statement.

While playing collegiately, Sabol also played in numerous prestigious college baseball summer leagues beginning in 2008 with the Pittsfield Dukes of the New England Collegiate Baseball League. In 2009, he was named 1st team All-Jayhawk League with the El Dorado Broncos. He was then named to the NBC World Series All-American Team and World Series MVP in Wichita, KS as a member of the 2009 NBC World Series National Champion El Dorado Broncos. Prior to senior year, he spent the summer of 2010 in the Alaska Baseball League with the Kenai Peninsula Oilers.

Following his college career, Sabol was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 2011 MLB Draft. He spent parts of two seasons in the Detroit farm system with the Gulf Coast League Tigers (Rookie) and the Connecticut Tigers (SS-A) in the New York Penn League. He went 3-3 with a 3.43 ERA in 13 games (10 starts) with the GCL Tigers in 2011. He finished 2012 as a member of the Frontier League’s Regular Season Champion Traverse City Beach Bums, and was named to the Frontier League All-Star game in 2013. In 30 career games for the Beach Bums, Sabol was 12-6 with a 2.86 ERA in 147.2 innings pitched.

Sabol graduated from CMU with a bachelor’s degree in Sports Management, finishing his career on the MAC Honor Roll. Currently, Jake is enrolled in Northwood University Devos Graduate school of Management and will be earning his Masters of Business Administration.

Kyle SchroederAssistant Coach

Kyle Schroeder begins his first year at Northwood University after serving as an assistant coach at NAIA Midland University during the 2013-14 school year. Schroeder worked primarily with the outfielders and catchers while also assisting as hitting coach. During his time at Midland, he helped the Warriors to a school record 43 wins. Midland set 28 school records during the 2014 campaign, were among the top 10 nationally in multiple categories including runs scored (8th), doubles (3rd) and ERA (8th). Midland also achieved its first ever win in the NAIA Opening Round of the National Tournament while winning 6 games against teams that appeared in the season-ending NAIA national poll.

Prior to his time at Midland, Coach Schroeder spent the 2012-13 season at NCAA Division II Northwest Missouri State University working with catchers and also assisting with hitters.

From 2009-12, Coach Schroeder served as the hitting coach under head coach, Jordan Bischel, with the Green Bay Bullfrogs. Schroeder helped the Bullfrogs to the 3rd best record in the prestigious Northwoods League during this stretch and helped in the development of over 40 players who were selected in the Major League Baseball draft.

Schroeder also spent five seasons as the hitting coach and recruiting coordinator at Luther College. While there, Luther offenses set school records for doubles, triples, and batting average. Schroeder also helped guide the 2009 team to an Iowa Conference title.

A catcher at Luther College from 2004-2007, Schroeder’s 30 career home runs, 172 career RBI and .652 slugging percentage rank as the highest totals in school history. Schroeder also ranks in the school’s top 3 in career batting average, doubles, at-bats, hits and runs scored. Schroeder was the IIAC’s Player of the Year in 2007 while leading his team to a 31-11 record.

Schroeder is a native of Sparta, Wisconsin, and holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Luther College and a Master’s in Applied Health and Sports Science from Northwest Missouri State University.

Nat RichterAssistant Coach

Nat Richter begins his first season at Northwood University after spending 8 seasons as an assistant coach at St. Norbert College. Coach Richter will work with the infielders, hitters and base runners with the Timberwolves.

While at St. Norbert, Coach Richter helped the Green Knight baseball program re-write the team’s record books. During his time there, St. Norbert compiled a 192-105 record (.646 winning percentage) while recording 6 of the 7 winningest seasons in school history. St. Norbert made NCAA Division III Tournament appearances in 2009, 2012 and 2014 and won the Midwest Conference North Division title 5 times.

A specialist in infield defense, St. Norbert finished in the top 4 in the Midwest Conference in fielding percentage in 7 of his 8 years. St. Norbert also led all of Division III baseball in double plays turned per game in 2009 while finishing 4th nationally in 2007.

During the summer of 2012, Richter assisted Head Coach Jordan Bischel with the Green Bay Bullfrogs of the Northwoods League while helping in the development of 13 future Major League Baseball draft picks.

Richter had tremendous success as player at the University of Wisconsin Stevens-Point. A 3 year starter at second base, the Pointers compiled a 124-59 record during Richter’s four seasons. A .295 career hitter, Richter slugged an impressive .487 over the course of his career. Richter hit 9 home runs and compiled 39 RBI in the 2005 season. An outstanding defender, Richter compiled a .948 career fielding percentage. Richter played in the 2006 NCAA Division III World Series and was a teammate of future MLB All-Star Jordan Zimmerman.

Richter holds a Bachelor’s Degree from UW-Stevens Point and is currently completing his Master’s Degree through St. Norbert College.